BUILDING ENVELOPE PRESSURE TESTING - NEBB

1 NEBB. National Environmental Balance Bureau BUILDING ENVELOPE . PRESSURE TESTING . Jim Bochat Phil Emory 1. BUILDING Air Leakage What is BUILDING ENVELOPE TESTING ? Whole BUILDING PRESSURE TESTING Zone or Component Leak TESTING What it is Not Material or Component TESTING Factory material TESTING 2. BUILDING Air Leakage What does BUILDING PRESSURE TESTING Do? Tests the effectiveness of Air Barriers Tests for the presence of openings Directly tied to BUILDING energy usage Directly tied to BUILDING comfort 3. BUILDING Air Leakage Required Knowledge ENVELOPE Construction Walls Exterior Cladding Drainage Channel Rainwater Control Air & Vapor Barrier Insulation Air Control Layer Exterior Wall Board Wall Structure Vapor Control Layer Interior Wall Board Thermal Control Layer 4.

2 BUILDING Air Leakage Required Knowledge ENVELOPE Construction Roofs Water leakage Air Barrier Flashing Expansion Joints 5. BUILDING Air Leakage Required Knowledge ENVELOPE Construction Doors and Windows Thermal Transfer Water Channel & Leakage Air Leakage Expansion and Contraction 6. BUILDING Air Leakage Normal Leakage Ranges Non tested BUILDING Not unusual to see to CFM / Square Foot For a 100,000 SF BUILDING this could equal $25,000 to $80,000 annual added utility costs Tested BUILDING Tight BUILDING could be as low as.

3 05 CFM / Square Foot 7. BUILDING Air Leakage Design Leakage Rates Guide Standards Table 7-1: Common Specified Air Leakage Rates Air Leakage Rates1. 2. National Standards Lowest Leakage Rate Highest Leakage Rate 2 2. England L/s / m ( cfm75 / ft ) / m ( cfm75 / ft ). 2 2. Canada L/s / m ( cfm75 / ft ) L/s / m ( cfm75 / ft ). 2 2. Industry L/s / m ( cfm50 / ft ) L/s / m ( cfm50 / ft ). 2. Corps of Engineers L/s / m ( cfm75 / ft ). 2. Corps of Engineers2012 Proposed L/s / m ( cfm75 / ft ). 2. Dept. of the Navy L/s / m ( cfm75 / ft ).

4 2. Dept of the Air Force L/s / m ( cfm75 / ft ). BUILDING Standards Lowest Leakage Rate Highest Leakage Rate 2 2. Office Buildings L/s / m ( cfm50 / ft ) L/s / m ( cfm50 / ft ). 2 2. Warehouses L/s / m ( cfm50 / ft ) L/s / m ( cfm50 / ft ). 2 2. Repair Shops L/s / m ( cfm50 / ft ) L/s / m ( cfm50 / ft ). 2 2. Hospitals L/s / m ( cfm50 / ft ) L/s / m ( cfm50 / ft ). 2. Housing Units L/s / m ( cfm50 / ft ). 3 2 2. ASHRAE L/s / m ( cfm75 / ft ) L/s / m ( cfm75 / ft ). 8. BUILDING Air Leakage Design Leakage Rates ACE Standard CFM @75PA / SF Barrier NEBB Standard CFM @75PA / SF Barrier 9.

5 BUILDING Air Leakage Air Barrier SF Calculation Area of bottom Floor Area of top Floor Ceiling air barrier Area of the wall air barrier Total Air Barrier x Leakage Rate = Total allowable leakage 10. BUILDING Air Leakage Design Leakage Rates Based upon BUILDING type High Mass = Low Leakage rates Low Mass = High Leakage rates Specifying a Leakage Rate Rate between to CFM / SF of Barrier Specifying a Test PRESSURE Either 75PA or 50PA [ or ] Normal operating rate [ to ]. 11. BUILDING Air Leakage Limitations of air Leakage Tests Whole BUILDING Tests Size < 150,000 SF (Rate =< ).

6 Temperature x Height <1180 Degree Feet (30 degrees x 36' = 1080). Wind < 6 MPH or gusting 4 MPH over steady state wind speed Unoccupied only 12. BUILDING Air Leakage Limitations of air Leakage Tests Whole BUILDING Tests Blower doors 1-20 fans maximum Installed on leeward side of BUILDING Controlled as one unit 13. BUILDING Air Leakage Limitations of air Leakage Tests Component Section Tests Test Zones or Areas Test wall / window sections Test Frame Cover Test Gauges No total leakage rate '. Less Than Window CFM / Sq Ft Window Frame PRESSURE Fan &.

7 Flow Grid or Orifice Structural Test Frame Test Membrane Seal Window Assembly PRESSURE Test 14. BUILDING Air Leakage Limitations of air Leakage Tests Using the HVAC System Accuracy of test is much less than blower door Very difficult to do both pressurization and depressurization tests System must be designed specifically to be used to perform PRESSURE TESTING Measurement devices and locations System capacity 15. BUILDING Air Leakage Using the HVAC System 100,000 SF BUILDING = 70,000 CFM to 100,000 CFM. Test Rate both + and - = 65,000 CMF @ to 108,000 CFM @ SF and RF must be sized for BUILDING PRESSURE TESTING Flow and PRESSURE Accurate Flow and PRESSURE measurement stations 16.

8 BUILDING Air Leakage TESTING Standards ASTM E779. ASTM E1827. CIBSE TM23. USACE. NEBB. 17. BUILDING Air Leakage BUILDING Set Up Isolating Area to be Tested Adjacent Areas What to seal and what to leave open 18. TESTING Procedures Performing BUILDING PRESSURE Tests BUILDING Set Up Sealing intentional Openings Open air path, interior doors & ceiling tile Time of day (No People). 19. TESTING Procedures Performing BUILDING PRESSURE Tests Blower Door Set Up 20. TESTING Procedures Performing BUILDING PRESSURE Tests TESTING Baseline PRESSURE Tests Negative PRESSURE Tests Positive PRESSURE Tests Normally 10 readings at setpoint pressures averaged over a 10 second period.

9 Depending upon which standard you are TESTING to. 21. TESTING Procedures Performing BUILDING PRESSURE Tests TESTING Accuracy 95% confidence levels (Statistical Calculations). Accuracy affected by deviation between multiple PRESSURE or flow readings Normally caused by wind gusts, opening of doors or poor quality TESTING techniques Commissioning Concepts 22. TESTING Procedures 23. TESTING Procedures 24. TESTING Procedures Other ENVELOPE Tests Leak TESTING Thermal Imaging of Leaks under PRESSURE Smoke Tracing 25.

10 TESTING Procedures Other ENVELOPE Tests Water Intrusion TESTING Spray Nozzle 12psi AAMA 502-02 Test Frame Cover Water flow test under negative PRESSURE Test Gauges 12". '. Less Than CFM / Sq Ft Window Window Frame PRESSURE Fan &. Flow Grid or Orifice Structural Test Frame Test Membrane Water Seal Supply Window Assembly Water Intrusion Test 26. NEBB ENVELOPE Certification Program NEBB Certification Program Experience Requirements Required instruments Pass Written Examination Pass Practical Examination Make Application Commissioning Concepts 27.